Last night, police charged a 16-year-old St. Petersburg boy in the killing of a police officer. The Chief Assistant State Attorney said suspect Nicholas Lindsey will likely be charged as an adult, which could mean life in prison. As more details come out surrounding the death of the latest officer killed on duty in St. Petersburg, some activists are crying foul over the way police handled their search for the suspect.

In the last hour, Maj. Michael Kovacsev with the St. Petersburg Police Department came out with more details about the teenage suspect currently being held on charges of first degree murder of a police officer. He said suspect Nicholas Lindsey, who has twice been arrested on grand theft auto charges, was trying to break into a Dodge Neon near the site of the shooting.

According to a witness report, the suspect walked away from the scene.

The suspect turned himself in early Tuesday evening, and his name was released several hours later. Media reports have depicted Lindsey as a troubled teen, but not one previously thought to be capable of murder. He reportedly bought the gun on the street.

The details may still be emerging on the incident, but that didnât stop a handful of local activists from crying foul. Earlier in the day they stood near the former site of the command center St. Petersburg Police assembled near Tropicana Field in response to the murder. Some observers have reportedly said a large swath of the neighborhood surrounding the Trop had the feel of a war zone as police scoured the area. Penny Hess of the Uhuru Solidarity Movement said the home searches and checkpoints that took place were a âvicious retaliationâ against the community.

Reverend Bruce Wright, a vocal advocate for the homeless, said those who sleep on the streets of city hall experienced the crackdown.

Penny Hess of the Uhuru Solidarity Movement said she didnât think the police were in the right in the way they conducted their search, even when considering that this was the third death of a St. Petersburg Police officer in weeks. She said violence against police is a reactive measure, and that the cycle of poverty within the African American community needs to stop.

The teenage suspectâs mother reportedly recognized him from a police video. His family has apologized for the fatal shooting. The St. Petersburg Police Department did not return multiple requests for comment by airtime.

Comments

Educator
Megan about about 4 years ago
I heard a few of the callers' comments on the radio today. I was unable to call in myself due to my son's karate schedule. I have to say that I don't agree with the angry man that was saying it is a shame the kid wasn't shot but I also don't agree with Penny Hess. I understand there are inequalities among many races but at the same time, I'm so sick of these people making everything a race issue. Based on the suspect's description, it only makes sense that they blocked of the certain chosen areas. As far as the "who to blame" question, I really feel much of the problem starts at home. It's sad because he is a kid but the fact is that he isn't new to breaking the law. I feel bad for the officer's family as well as for the suspect's mother. I know people can grow up to be bad even if they grew up in the best home. Most of the time, that isn't the case. Why wasn't his mother making sure he was in school? Apparently, he was up to no good rather than getting an education. Somehow, this is turned into the black race card. I'm so over it.

Crazy People
K.K. about about 4 years ago
WHAT the HECK is this lady's problem?? That kid is extremely lucky he's not full of bullet holes right now. And yet she is angry at the police. What a kook.

And the survey saysâ¦
Glenn Pendergrass about about 4 years ago
MS. Hess graduated with honors from the Kaczynski School of Activismâ¦ her MMPI scores were off the charts!!!

Unneeded reporting
Captain Queeg about about 4 years ago
Why do you waste time and resources reporting on wackos like this ? Will she be getting a programme if The Man keeps your trough filled ?
At least as a fill in ? She does fit right in with the usual content heard here. Next time you need the police, just call her.

Ditto
Ralph about about 4 years ago
Ditto

She's already a member
S about about 4 years ago
I bet she's already affiliated with WMNF --probably a volunteer --but no one wants to admit it.

How Much Goes to Uhuru???
Mike about about 4 years ago
This is downright disturbing. Have you seen the pictures on facebook of this thug? He's a habitual burglar. Why is this lady defending him? I am just wondering: how much of the money I donate to WMNF goes to Ms Hess and this Uhuru movement?

Apologist puppet for the Uhurus
James about about 4 years ago
What a wretched woman. To even suggest there are economic or social reasons to kill anyone, let alone a police officer.

Really
WTF about about 4 years ago
This woman is crazy, she condones the killing of Police Officers. Stating the 16 years old has watched sooo many black men murdered infront of him by the Police. I don't know of that many Police shooting in the area where Police murdered anyone. He was stealing a car for the third time and shot a Polcie Officer. He is not a good kid and obviously wasn't prior to the incident with Ofc Crawford. PENNY HESS IS A DOMESTIC TERRORIST AS WELL AS THE UHURUS.

It should happen to you
Mary Babino about about 4 years ago
There are good and bad in all races but the last 6 officers killed were at the hand of African Americans. I wonder what you would say if a loved one of Penny Hess was killed at the hand of a young African American youth. Would she be up there bashing the police for finding the animal that murdered someone she knew. She is really off the wall!

OMG
LOL about about 4 years ago
Has she looked in the mirror? She reminds me of the blind black KKK member from the Chapelle Show.
I guess she thinks the police should just let a person who murdered someone, let alone one of their officers go."
It is incredibly racist to not hold an entire race to the same behavioral standard simply because they may be economically disadvantaged.

She is an Idiot
Gimli about about 4 years ago
What a MORON.

ignorant woman
Rose McNamara about about 4 years ago
Rose McNamara I am infuriated at this womans ignorance! Just how many young black men did this MURDEROUS piece of trash see killed by police??? Did Officer Crawford have a gun in his hand when he confronted this "YOUNG MAN?" NO, he had his note pad and probably was going to ask him his name when he was shot multiple times. Officer Crawford was a father, a husband and a hero who did a thankless job trying to protect LAW ABIDING citizens from the very fate that ended his life. RIP Officer Crawford and I hope this ignorant woman rots in hell along with the rest of the murderous trash she is trying to protect.

WMNF Sponsored Protest
Jeanette about about 4 years ago
Why did WMNF cover this non-event? This "protest" wouldn't have existed if it hadn't been for WMNF setting it up and then covering it. One disgruntled witch does not a protest make. It's time for this station to wake up and choose a side. If this is what you represent, I cannot, in good conscience, follow.

Assistant Whitey
Whitey about about 4 years ago
Whack job.

Look at the history of police occupation!
harris about about 4 years ago
Why are all of the pro-police commenters afraid to condemn the police occupation of the black community? Do you really think that all African people are criminals?
The truth is, it scares you to see the resistance after many many years of the status quo being a 1-way war on the black community. The real criminals -- those who beat, shoot, murder, and terrorize African men women and children daily -- are finally seeing the consequences of their military occupation and containment strategy, and learning what the Uhuru Movement is correctly summing up: oppression breeds resistance.
As white people we have an opportunity to get involved in supporting a future without oppression, but first we have to stand on the side of the oppressed communities struggling for their lives and resources. Justice for the African community!

WHITE PEOPLE SUCK!
C about about 4 years ago
harris, I don't understand people like you who hate your co-white people. You probably hate America too. Would you please do the rest of us a favor and move to Canada or any other country of your choosing? There is no conspiracy against black people. I know many, many smart and successful black people. They are not being oppressed as a people. In fact, it's the other way around. Everyone is bending over backwards in an effort to not offend them. They are given preference for jobs and education. And it's been that way since I was in elementary school forty years ago. Wake up to reality, harris.

Lots of tax cutting ideasâ¦
Glenn Pendergrass about about 4 years ago
I have to agree with Harris on this one... he's the expert!!! The black community represents just over 16% of Floridaâs population and the Florida Dept of Law Enforcement has an annual budget of over $300 Million. If the black communities of Florida no longer require the services of Florida's law enforcementâ¦ then we can fire 16% of the FDLE and save close to $50 Million in taxes annually!!! And there you have it folksâ¦ another outstanding tax saving idea from the listeners of WMNF!!!

adc
dogger about about 4 years ago
This lady is friggin NUTS.

EXILE HER!
The Voice of Reason about about 4 years ago
You know, I don't believe the cops are angels or that the government is perfect but there is no way I can tolerate this insanity. This holier-than-thou pretender should be exiled. Ungrateful, back biting witch.

Protesters Stay Away
Capt Clayton about about 4 years ago
Funeral is today. I hope this woman and her WMNF followers don't come and protest outside.

Shameful
Papa about about 4 years ago
Shameful.

Is this a joke?
Anne about about 4 years ago
Is she serious? This really illustrates how tolerant we have become.

YES SHE IS
CANDY about about 4 years ago
YES SHE IS SERIOUS AND ITS ABOUT TIME SOMEONE SAID IT LIKE IT IS. EVRYTHING SHE SAID IS 100% TRUE. YOU SHOULD THANK WMNF FOR SPREADING THE WORD IF IT WASNT FOR THEM YOU WOULDNOT EVEN HEAR ABOUT THIS ON THE NEWS

Candy for the brain...
Glenn Pendergrass about about 4 years ago
âEVERYTHING SHE SAID IS 100% TRUEâ??? ââ¦when anything happens in the black community, the government sends tanks to the streetsâ¦â Uhhhh, excuse me thereâ¦ bimbetâ¦ but the last tank I saw on a US city street was being driven by Shawn Nelson in May of 1995!!! What a coincidence!!! He was shot and killed by the police also!!! Hurry Penny, letâs go protest the San Diego policeâ¦ oh wait a minuteâ¦ Shawn Nelson was an out of work plumberâ¦ never mind.

Registered Nurse and Student
Kendale Sturdivent about almost 4 years ago
All those who oppose Penny Hess are living in a box and truly clueless to the realities of this world. I am not saying that as a way of attacking you or your characters, it is just a fact and if you are open for a discussion with me on this subject I am easily accessible. If you think I am out of my mind, please don't bother contacting me because I am not. I am an educated man and perusing a career in medicine. I speak from my experiences as a person who was born to a white mother and black father, raised in South Saint Petersburg, with a short lived move to East Brunswick NJ (white city), and not based on biased beliefs. Truly Penny makes valid points and those who oppose her are just lacking in knowledge of the situation in which she is describing. Be Blessed....

If your field is Psychiatryâ¦
Glenn Pendergrass about almost 4 years ago
Physician, heal thyself!!!

No, I'm not
Rob about almost 4 years ago
I am not living in a box. You are obviously biased and if you can't perceive that glaring fact, you have no business training to be a doctor.

Makes me proud
Monday about almost 4 years ago
This is what makes WMNF unique. I luv WMNF for getting the word out!